February 8 in freethought history…

February 8, 1921 – Prince Pyotr Alexeyevich (Peter) Kropotkin, Â polymath and anarchist, diesÂ in Moscow, aged 78. His principle scientific contribution was the book Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution, which offered a counterpoint to social Darwinism, arguing that cooperation was as much a factor in evolution as competition.

February 8, 1996 – President Bill Clinton signsÂ the Communications Decency Act, an early attempt to regulate pornography on the internet. The Act was later struck down by the Supreme Court on free speech grounds in Reno v ACLU.